How to choose a lodger fairly (and legally) in Ireland
What you can and can't ask when choosing someone to live with you: the own-home exception in equality law, house shares, HAP, and fair questions that tell you what you need to know.
- Post your room free
- Renting a room to a student for the first time
- Do I need to register a lodger with the RTB?
- Equal Status Act 2000, section 6 (revised)
- IHREC – discrimination in housing
- Citizens Information – sharing accommodation with your landlord
A room in your own home
Equal status law has an exception for letting a room in the home you live in (not a separate, self-contained flat). There, you can choose who lives with you, including on grounds like gender, and the housing assistance (HAP) ground doesn't apply either.
That's why ads for a room in the owner's own home can say, for example, "female only". On StayLister, a housemate gender preference is only shown on ads where the owner lives in the house.
A house share where you don't live
If you don't live there, the Equal Status Acts apply in full. You can't refuse someone, or word an ad, on the grounds of gender, civil status, family status, sexual orientation, religion, age, disability, race (including nationality) or membership of the Traveller community, or because they get housing assistance such as HAP.
Ads like "men only", "no HAP" or "professionals only, no families" can be discriminatory. The Irish Human Rights and Equality Commission gives examples.
Fair questions that tell you what you need
Ask about the things that actually matter for living together: when they want to move in and for how long, their work or course and hours, whether they smoke, their routine (early riser, works nights), and how they like to share a kitchen.
Ask for references: a previous landlord or host, or an employer or college. Check they can pay: ask how they'll pay the rent, and take payments by bank transfer.
Meet in person, and treat everyone who applies the same way: the same questions, the same information.
What StayLister shows you
Each renter can confirm their phone, email and ID, and can share a short "About me as a renter" profile when they message you. In My Listings you can mark people as shortlisted or not suitable, privately.
Common questions
Can I advertise a room in my home as "female only"?
Yes. Letting a room in the home you live in (not a self-contained flat) is an exception in equality law, so you can choose who lives with you.
Can a landlord refuse HAP in a house share?
No, not where the landlord doesn't live there: housing assistance is a protected ground. The exception is a room in the landlord's own home.
What can I ask a lodger?
Questions about living together: dates, work or study, routine, smoking, references and how they'll pay. Ask everyone the same questions.